This was one of the late releases on my old label. I remember my mate Thomas being totally hooked on them bands, while I was kinda undecided on what I should think about the postmodernist quoting (copying) thing had finally reached the Metal and HC / Punk genres. When you grew up with those Black Sabbath records and somehow had become familiar with thinking that these bands were kinda unique (“nobody could ever play so good”-type), it was something unexpected to see younger people just picking up instruments and playing like the old bands did.
You’ve had a good dose of “musicianship” in the 70s, whereas in the 80′s, amateurs and dabblers took over and produced timeless classics, barely being able to keep up a proper speed. The the whole thing folded in the 2nd half the 80s, and a few years later, the next generation came up – and they all had pro-gear, went to music schools and had a clear formula in their heads. I think, this is still the case today: Nobody dares anymore. That’s okay for Metal, as I learn, with bands like WARNING or ISOLE just producing fanatastic albeit extremely unoriginal “Modern Doom” (as I call it) – but HC and Punk has degenerated into an unbearable comedy. There’s simply not one band that wouldn’t put me to sleep after 2 minutes.
Speaking of SLEEP. Some people asked me to rip this and now that I did and finally gave it a spin again, I think the Black Sabbath cover ain’t all that good or well crafted (in fact, it’s safe to say that it’s kinda sloppy, after all), but the two original songs are great!
The band was called ASBESTO’S DEATH in their early days, I think I still have two demos of them here somewhere. They came from California somewhere. We originally offered A.B. a release on our label, when they announced, they were called SLEEP now and had progressed and all. Thomas received some further tapes and was very impressed, so we sent them guys the money for studio time and that’s what we got. 1000 copies made, like 6 or 8 testpressings which were on blue vinyl.
I used to sell remaining copies of SLEEP until the end of the 90′s, when suddenly I realized that a rush of orders came in. I gave away the remainers for like 5$ a piece. Later, some guy sent me a copy of the bands CD on Earache Records who had picked them up meanwhile and I found it good, but lacking a bit of concentration maybe. I sold my last testpressing for a couple hundred on ebay.
Lord of this World.mp3 [originally by Sack Blabbath)
The Druid.mp3
Nain’s Baptism.mp3
12 Comments
heavy fucking shit. never knew they had a 7″ – and you released it? crazy.
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“I think, this is still the case today: Nobody dares anymore. That’s okay for Metal, as I learn, with bands like WARNING or ISOLE just producing fanatastic albeit extremely unoriginal “Modern Doom” (as I call it”
I would hardly call WARNING unoriginal, mixing Doom metal with Tim Buckley etc cannot be classed as unchallenging – however crap like isole is indeed turgid
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gotta post at least one cut from ‘Warning’… getting very curious to know what all the fuss is about. most ‘doo’ that i hear really doesn’t do it for me. i’ll admit it, i like the sabbath copycats… St. Vitus, et. al. and the stoner pop of Fu Manchu, QOTSA, etc. to me art and metal just shouldn’t mix… need to hear at least a hint of the heavy blues that gave birth to the genre once upon a time.
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Sleep are one of my favorite bands of all time. there is something just under the surface of all of their releases that i don’t even get from Sabbath themselves. they surrender to the riff.
their later epic full length release “Dopesmoker” is a cornerstone album. not surprisingly all three members have gone on to equally impressive things in their bands Om and High On Fire.
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fuck yeah man!! more stoner metal!
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stoner metal sucks, but this 7″ is good. hc is better though.
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@ Miskatonic: You’re right about WARNING. It just struck me when I first heard the band, that it all made sense in the first round. I just thought: This is the Doom Metal record I’ve been waiting for in the 80s. In that way, a record sounding so familiar and easy going, I thought it wasn’t challenging – it’s just perfect the way it is.
So what’s wrong about ISOLE?
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they are from san jose california 45 min outside of san francisco.
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I saw Asbestos Death play Gilman St.
a couple of times. They were bad-ass.
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The Asbestos Death stuff was recently released as a CDEP on Southern Lord…check it out!
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i don’t think it’s true. if you’ve ever heard me play drums you’d know. actually it makes me 1sick to see those wankers with music training play well. we need more sloppy punk. i want it to change. i’m not an old guy but i can understand the punk thing more than most of the young guys can. anyway sleep. the thing i need right now haha. anyway a.d were a great band but i don’t know. i really never listened to that kind of metal. good though. a.d demos? would like to hear them. thanks for the great shit and good talking points.
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Cheers pal. I do appcireate the writing.
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